Map-case



(No Model.)

G, P. PETERSON & S. U. STEWART.

' MAP CASE.

No. 490,884. Patented Jan.31 1893.

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Inns/7623119:

i @JMM '24 Jaw UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GODFREY P. PETERSON AND SHERMAN U. STEWART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MAP-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,884, dated January 31, 1893.

Application filed May 10, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GODFREY P. PETER- SON and SHERMAN U. STEWART, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Map-Gases, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of map cases in which a number of maps, wound upon rollers, are supported by a rack that is so mounted that it may be placed either in an upright position or in an inclined position. When in an upright position the rack and all of the rolled up maps are concealed within the case, and when in an inclined position, the rolled up maps are in different vertical planes, so that any map may be drawn down without coming in contactwith any other map.

The object of our present invention is to improve the construction of map cases of this character and increase their capacity without increasing to an objectionable extent the height of the case, and to this end the invention consists in the features of novelty that are particularly pointed out in the claims hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,Figure 1 is an end elevation of one of the improved map cases with the cover open and the maps in position for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof with the cover closed, two of the maps being omitted in order to more clearly show the construction of some of the parts. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fragment showing some of the parts in detail.

The case, as shown in the drawings, has two similar parts, A and A, the former of which is secured to the wall and is the case proper, while the latter constitutes the cover and has its top side connected to the top side of the former by hinges B, enabling the two parts to be placed in the relative positions shown by either of the Figs. 1 or 2.

O, 0 represent maps wound upon rollers D, D, the journals of which are supported by a rack formed of braces E, E, one located at each end of the case, each of which braces is itself formed of two parts e, e, connected together by a rule joint F, or by a hinge of some Serial No. 432,467. (No model.)

other suitable form. One side of the rack is hinged at G to the case A and its other side is hinged at H to the cover A. The parts e,

e, are equal and of such length that when the 7 case is closed they fold up parallel with each other, one within the case A and the other within the cover A, as shown by Fig. 2. When the case is open, the parts 6, e are in line with each other as shown by Fig. 1 (the rack unfolded) and when in this position, the cover supports the outer. end of said rack, and at the same time the rack acts as a strut and supports the cover, and in addition to this, it supports the maps in such positions that any map may be unrolled without coming in contact with any other, all being in different vertical planes. By making the rack to fold in this way we are enabled'to use for a given number of maps a case only about half as high as would be required if the rack were rigid. We desire to have it understood, however, that some features of our invention would be present if the rack were rigid and the caseAhigh enough to receive it. In this case the cover A would be reduced to a mere fiat cover.

For the sake of strength the ends of the braces E, E, are connected by a strip 1, and their top edges may be connected by boards i, i, to which are secured triangular strips J that project between the several maps, and in order to prevent the parts from being violently jarred as the braces straighten out, rubber buffers K are arranged between the meeting ends of the parts c, (2.

So far as the present invention is concerned it is immaterial what style of rollers is used, but we prefer to use spring rollers of the Hartshorn type. With such a roller, one of the braces is provided with a round hole for receiving its circular stem d, While'the other brace is provided with a slot L for receiving its non-circular stem 01', said stem being held in said slot by a hook M, pivoted to the brace. Two of these hooks are shown in Fig. 2, where two of the rollers are omitted.

WVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a rack having two separate sections, hinged together and adapted to fold upward, means supporting the outer sides of said sections and permitting the rack to be either folded up until the two sections lie against each other, or unfolded until the two sections occupy substantially the same plane, and means preventing thefurther downward movement of the hinged sides of said sections when the parts have reached this last named position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a case having a cover hinged thereto, of a rack having one of its sides pivotally connected to the case proper, and the other of its sides pivotally connected to the cover, said rack being formed in separate sections hinged together and adapted to fold inward as the case is closed, and a number of articles supported by said rack, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the case consist ing of the two similar partsA and A, hinged together, of the folding rack having one of its sides pivotally connected to the part A, and the other of its sides pivotally connected to the part A, said rack having the braces E,

p E, each formed of two separate but similar parts e, e, jointed together and adapted to fold inward as the case is closed, and a number of rollers supported by said rack, substantially as set forth. V

4. The combination with a roller having the stems d and d of a rack having a perforation for receiving the stem (1, and a slot for receiving the stem cl, and the hook M adapted to engage the stem D and hold it in place in the slot, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination with a number of rollers, of a case having one of its vertical sides open, a cover hinged to the top portion of the case and adapted to close its open side, and a rack in which the rollers are journaled, pivoted at one side to the bottom portion of the case and having its other side engaged and supported by the cover when open, substantially as set forth.

GODFREY P. PETERSON. SHERMAN U. sT-EWART.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOPKINS, J. HALPENNY. 

